The present invention relates to apparatus for securing a cable assembly. More particularly, this invention pertains to a fixedly mounted compressible grommet for securing a cable assembly.
Electronic systems which are housed in separate enclosures are frequently connected to one another by one or more cable assemblies having a connector at each end. For example, a personal computer may have an electronic circuit such as a printer interface mounted on an internal motherboard. In order to connect to an external printer, an intermediate cable assembly is deployed to provide an exposed connector for connecting the printer with an external cable assembly. In another example, an external storage peripheral, such as a disk drive, may be connected to a personal computer. Conventionally, both the personal computer and the external storage peripheral may have internal intermediate cable assemblies. One motivation for the intermediate cable assemblies is to eliminate the need for a user to open the enclosure to connect the external cable. Another motivation is to provide a connection scheme which has positive locking such as a thumbscrew or clip. Typically internally disposed electronic subsystems such as the motherboard or disk drive examples above do not provide for positive locking of cable connectors because the intermediate cable assembly is not subject to stress or movement. Such a positive locking feature provides for strain relief of the cable and prevents accidental disconnection if the cable is inadvertently moved, nudged or kicked.
Although the intermediate cable assembly provides benefits as indicated above, a cost penalty is incurred. What is needed is a cost effective solution for cabling electronic systems together while preventing cable stress or inadvertent disconnection.
This invention can be regarded as an apparatus for securing a cable assembly having a connector within an enclosed electronic system. The electronic system includes a housing with an aperture and an electronic subsystem mounted within the housing with an electrical port for receiving the connector. The apparatus includes a compressible grommet fixedly mounted within the housing. The apparatus further includes a first surface and a distal surface and a channel traversing through the grommet and having a first end at the first surface aligned with the aperture, and a distal end at the distal surface substantially aligned with the electrical port. The grommet is adapted to receive the connector at the first end and to guide the connector along the channel to the distal end and the electrical port wherein the connector may be thereafter inserted into the electrical port and is thereby restrained by the grommet.